Whoever Johnson and his trusted advisers find to take the job will have plenty of problems to solve. There will be the matter of finding a head coach, figuring out who will play quarterback and patching up a roster that has more holes than Augusta National.

One decision the new GM faces is more fascinating than any, though. What do you do with Percy Harvin, who is due to make $10.5 million in 2015?

Harvin was Idzik’s going-away present to the Jets, a desperation trade made in mid-October to try to provide some punch to an offense with few weapons. The move was called a “potential coup” by Idzik. The Jets sent a conditional draft pick to Seattle for Harvin and acquired a potential gamebreaker.

But Harvin’s time with the Jets has illustrated just why Harvin is such a puzzling player. There is no questioning his talent. He is a dynamic player who stands out on a field filled with professional athletes. Harvin’s speed is hard to find and he is willing to do what is asked of him.

Somehow, though, that has not translated into production.

Harvin has 29 catches for 350 yards and one touchdown in eight games with the Jets. Unquestionably, the struggles the Jets have had at quarterback with Geno Smith and Michael Vick is partly to blame for that. But Harvin has also battled injuries, something that has plagued him in his career. He injured his ribs on Sunday and may not play in the Jets’ finale against the Dolphins.

Since he has been a Jet, Harvin has not been a problem in the locker room, but he had well-documented issues in Seattle and Minnesota that would give anyone pause before committing to him long-term. His Jets teammates swear by him.

“Percy has brought a lot of energy to this team. He’s been a bright spot for us,” Vick said. “The thing you respect about him the most is Percy’s heart is as big as a lion. He just wants to win. He don’t care what he has to do. If you want him to block, he’ll block. If you want him to throw the ball, he’ll throw the ball. Whatever it takes.”

The endorsements from teammates are nice, but the Jets only have to look back on the Santonio Holmes mess to see how a player can change after he gets a contract.

All of this leaves the Jets with a tough decision.

It’s hard to make a case for Harvin being worth $10.5 million, but the Jets need dynamic players and kicking one out of the building seems to be counterproductive. The team is going to be swimming in salary-cap space after this season and will have to use a good chunk of it as required by the collective bargaining agreement. If he stays on the roster, the Seahawks get the Jets’ fourth-round pick. If not, the pick is a sixth-rounder.

The playbook on something like this for NFL GMs is to force the player to take a pay cut. Threaten to release the player unless he agrees to take less. Harvin has let it be known he will not take a pay cut to remain with the Jets. If the Jets cut him, he will pick a team with a better quarterback situation and a brighter short-term future.

We’re early in the process and all of that may just be posturing. In speaking to several people around the NFL, the consensus was Harvin would get $5 million or $6 million per year on the open market. So the Jets could cut Harvin loose, tell him to get the best offer he can and then come back to them. If it’s close to $10 million, say good luck to him. If it’s $6 million, offer him $7 million and see if playing somewhere else is worth leaving a million dollars on the table.

Whoever the Jets find to replace Idzik will face a number of difficult decisions, none tougher than what to do with Harvin.